Poor performance after pump changeout

[fmonte555]

My 1 1/2 hp Sta-rite pump motor was going on me (loud noise from bad bearings). Hindsight being 20/20, I wish I would have just changed out the motor but the pool guy convinced me to replace the pump and motor with a new unit. He installed a 1 1/2 hp Reliant Pump. My inground pool is about 15,000 gallons.

Now the jets have about half the strength they used to have and they spit alot of air. I know this because I used to use the jets to massage a bad neck. In addition, I can't run the creepy crawler and the skimmer at the same time because there is not enough power (suction) to do both. I used to be able to run both with the Sta-rite. When I complained to the installer he said that I needed to clean my DE filter but that doesn't make sense since everything was working fine the day before with my Sta-rite pump with bad bearings.

Can some tell me what really is going on. I am hoping I did not buy an inferior pump because this installer is long gone with my money. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Frank

[CarlD]

There's more than one way to rate a "1.5" hp pump. If the old pump was "full-rated" and the new one is "up-rated" then you just probably cut your pump strength in half.

But it could also be a faulty install.

[fmonte555]

Thanks Carl, where would I find that out? I checked the label on the motor and all I can see is hp 1.5, ph 1, rpm 3450, fr 48 but I don't see anything in regard to up rated.

[kelemvor]

Now the jets have about half the strength they used to have and they spit alot of air.

My guess would be that you have a suction side leak. Probably near the pump since it was just replaced. Have you specifically told the installer about the air coming out?

[PoolDoc]

Looks like you may have one of the Chinese pumps shown below:

http://www.inyopools.com/Products/00100018074613.htm
http://www.inyopools.com/Products/00100018060846.htm

http://www.inyopools.com/manuals/1644/bc2742-bc2743-bc2744.pdf

If it's the in-ground model, then you may have a pump quality problem -- my experience has been that there are some excellent value pool products made in China (like Intex pools) but that some have extremely high defect rates (like the competing Summer Escapes pools sold by Walmart & Sams Club).

If you have the above-ground model . . . well, that's the problem. I've never really understood how AG pumps are rated, but it's NOT on the same scale as the "full-rate / up-rate" ratings applied to IG pump motors.

[PoolDoc]

membership upgraded.